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U.S. NEWS Friday 9 June 2017

Defense expert: Officer’s shooting of motorist was justified

By STEVE KARNOWSKI his girlfriend streamed the
Associated Press aftermath on Facebook.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Dutton said reviewed he re-
defense expert testified viewed all the videos, tran-
Thursday that a Minnesota scripts and police reports.
police officer used “justifi- He said he was convinced
able deadly force” in the that Castile reached for the
fatal shooting last July of gun because of Yanez’s
a black motorist who had comments to investigators
informed him he was carry- that he saw Castile’s hand
ing a gun. form a C-shaped grip of
Joseph Dutton, an offi- the sort that would be used
cer for 31 years who now to grab a thick-gripped
teaches classes on the use pistol. He said that was an
of force, said he is con- “extraordinary,” important
vinced that St. Anthony Of- detail, though prosecutor
ficer Jeronimo Yanez saw a Jeff Paulsen suggested it
gun before he shot Philan- might have just meant that
do Castile during a traffic Castile was reaching to un-
stop in a St. Paul suburb. buckle his seat belt.
Castile told the officer that “I believe wholeheartedly
he was carrying a firearm, he saw that gun,” Dutton
and whether Yanez saw said. Prosecutors have por-
it is a key issue in his man- trayed Castile as being co-
slaughter trial. The defense operative when he volun- St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez stands outside the Ramsey County Courthouse in St.
claims that Yanez saw Cas- teered to Yanez early dur- Paul, Minn. A defense expert testified Thursday that Yanez used “justifiable deadly force” in the
fatal shooting last July of a black motorist who had informed him he was carrying a gun.
tile’s hand on the weapon. ing the stop, “Sir, I have to (David Joles/Star Tribune via AP)
Prosecutors argue that he tell you I do have a firearm shooting, Yanez told a su- “There wasn’t time to do see the gun.
didn’t see it and that he on me.” Squad-car video of pervisor variously that he anything else.” “We have to look at the
acted unreasonably in the encounter shows that didn’t know where Castile’s Paulsen pressed him on totality of the circumstanc-
shooting Castile, a 32-year- Yanez replied, “OK, don’t gun was and that he told why he didn’t mention in es,” Mangseth said.
old elementary school reach for it then,” Yanez re- Castile to get his hand off his written report that both Defense attorney Paul Engh
cafeteria worker who had plied. Castile started saying it. Dutton said he conclud- Castile and his girlfriend asked Mangseth whether it
a permit to carry the gun. he wasn’t reaching for it, ed that Yanez’s statements told Yanez that he wasn’t would be proper for an offi-
Witnesses have testified but the officer interrupted meant that he didn’t see reaching for his gun. Dut- cer to shoot if a person had
that the gun was in Cas- and said, “Don’t pull it out.” the gun at first, but soon ton said he replied that he his hand on a gun and re-
tile’s pocket when para- “I’m not pulling it out,” saw Castile trying to pull it didn’t consider it relevant. fused commands.
medics removed him from Castile replied as Yanez out of his right pocket. Earlier Thursday, St. Anthony “It would be very concern-
his vehicle and that it either opened fire. Castile’s last “Officer Yanez did what Police Chief Jon Mangseth ing and I would expect ac-
fell out or was removed. words were, “I wasn’t he had to do, which was testified that the shooting tion to be taken, given how
The shooting drew wide- reaching for it.” to meet deadly force with might have been justified quickly things can devel-
spread attention because In the minutes after the
deadly force,” he said. even if the officer couldn’t op,” Mangseth said.q
Supermarket massacre shooter left chilling online trail

By MARK SCOLFORO Wyoming County District Police say Stair brought spiraled out of control,” Brong, 26, of Factoryville;
KRISTEN DE GROOT Attorney Jeff Mitchell said two pistol-grip shotguns to Mitchell said. “I think he and Brian Hayes, 47, of
Associated Press a Twitter feed that includes work at the store in rural had longstanding mental Springville.
A man who police say a 42-minute film about a Tunkhannock, about 150 health issues that resulted “It’s just unspeakable, it re-
trapped and killed three violent massacre, posted miles northwest of New in this horrible tragedy.” ally is,” Mitchell said. “These
co-workers inside a closed about the time of the kill- York City (241 kilometers), State police said he spent people went to work and
northeast Pennsylvania ings, is believed to have blocked store exits and be- the first 90 minutes of his shift they lost their lives because
grocery store overnight belonged to 24-year-old gan shooting shortly before blocking exits with pallets they went to work. It’s
Thursday left an online Randy Stair of Dallas, Penn- 1 a.m. and other items. After the senseless.”
trail behind that includes sylvania. A fourth co-worker even- store closed Stair retrieved He said Stair apparently
praise for the 1999 Colum- In that film, Stair praised tually escaped unharmed a duffel bag from his car did not like one of the vic-
bine High School shooters Columbine shooters Eric and called police. Stair also with the two shotguns, and tims, the night manager. It
and expressions of deep Harris and Dylan Klebold killed himself. began his attack. wasn’t immediately clear
frustration about the world as heroes and kissed and “This is really a mental He killed Terry Sterling, 63, which of the victims held
around him. fondled a loaded shotgun. health situation that utterly of South Montrose; Victoria that job.q